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grover-47
Reviews
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Superior comedy!
Hello - now this is a comedy I did not expect. This has to be the funniest movie in 10 years, and it also makes a very strong case for 'unscripted' humor. Sure, Borat's crew knew what was going on, but you just can't predict just how (hilariously) stupefied people will become by the main character's dizzyingly-funny political incorrectness (a horse also falls over). Borat famously came under fire and was sued by some of his unwitting subjects after the movie's release. Many enraged folks, young and old, were shocked by this incredible humor. Me? I just say the lawsuits gave LEGAL proof that this movie is hilarious! All this attention gave "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" some much-deserved promotion, and left viewers in either the loved it/hated it camp. I say it is the most fantastic comedy in many years. I give it a 9 only because I think there was probably a funnier movie made at some point, I just don't remember what it was right now. Borat pushes all the right buttons and Sasha Baron Cohen proves that this character is a true entertainment breakthrough.
Juno (2007)
Yeah, right
This is one VERY overrated movie, sorry. The extent of praise and showers of awards it received is mind-boggling. I apologize, but part of being a teenager is not always knowing what to say, not always being able to find the right words. Yet after 5 minutes it was painfully clear that Ellen Page would be playing the hyper-articulate card ala Gilmore Girls for the next 90 minutes. Who the hell talks like this? Perhaps the movie makers intended to highlight the character of Juno as some rarified teen exception-to-the-rule. Didn't buy it for a minute, sorry. Giant bogus hipster namedropping fantasy. Apparently Ellen Page already has another new movie out in which she portrays another precocious, acerbic teen. That means she gets just one more movie to do something else before I write her off completely (3 strikes). So she carefully recites calculated, manipulative dialogue (which I guess deserves one star). But so what? This is no slice-of-life realism, which ostensibly it is trying to be. In fact, it tries so hard that Jason Bateman, Rainn Wilson and Jennifer Garner are all uselessly cast in the shadow of its mass pretense.
Riot on Sunset Strip (1967)
l-a-m-e
This is one terribly goofy movie. Dorky, borderline retardation presented as a shocking drama. Other reviewers who love this movie must be 100 years old. Idiotic non-acting and imbecilic dialog galore. If I was at a party with any of the people in this movie, I would steal their stuff and leave. One of the geekiest things I've ever seen. The band The Monkees belong in here, not the decent bands that actually make appearances. I would rather go to the toilet than watch this. Bea Arthur is cooler any of these chicks. Could this be any cheesier? Rue McLanahan is probably behind this movie somehow. What a limp depiction of this period of time. There's no way that everyone in the 60's was this ridiculous. This movie royally sucks, I hate it.
Crippled (1992)
Yep, sick.
Joe Christ came through my old hometown on a weeknight in '92 to show this short movie in a record store. A few of us had been talking to the owner of the store about it, and he was also expressing his interest in the work of other artists like Nick Zedd and Richard Kern, so we went down to check it out. It turns out that Zedd and Kern probably had a much better idea what they were doing, as was evidenced at this screening. In person, Joe Christ added commentary to the movie, which certainly did not help. This one girl who was with us walked out after 15 minutes. How are audiences supposed to react to a guy who gushes over his own nauseating creation while staring viewers in the eyes as they watch? The guy was obnoxious, the movie was sick, and even though I like some entertainment that others would surely define as 'sick', this just didn't work - especially with the self-congratulatory, in-your-face director lurking around the darkened room. And he was on 'tour' doing this? Whatever! I give it 2 stars because at least on paper, I suppose the story shows some promise. In reality, this movie is ultimately just pathetic.
Magnolia (1999)
Now this is a movie
In my mind, movies (unlike music) are sort of unattainable. Titles, plots, characters...they tend to crossover and blur in my brain to the point where I sometimes forget having seen them at all - even excellent ones (whereas I rarely forget anything about a song.)
But this is a real movie. Magnolia is unforgettable. The look, the atmosphere, the performances are all wonderful. Seriously crafted, the story moves from contemplative and existential to funny, sad, weird and more. The transitions are natural and the movie is at all times engrossing. Magnolia is a movie so good it almost defies description, it is felt as much as it is viewed.
The cast is stellar. My personal favorites include the amusingly vulnerable cop (that's right) played by John C. Reilly, the dick-headed motivational speaker (right again) played by Tom Cruise, and Philip Seymour Hoffman never disappoints. The list of intelligent performances just goes on.
I saw a behind-the-scenes special about the production of Magnolia. In it, Director Paul Thomas Anderson came across as hyper and a bit of a motormouth. Frankly it was tiring just watching him. But the end result...all is forgiven. There is a real vision there, there's no denying it.
Yes, Magnolia is over 3 hours. I really don't know why some people have such a problem with that. Even the ADD-afflicted still have scene changes aplenty that should hold their interest. It is gripping and stirring, powerful and subtle.
I still say that music is the most sophisticated art form. However, Magnolia makes a very strong case for movies. Speaking of music, even Aimee Mann shines in this movie. Absolutely worth seeing.
Prey for Rock & Roll (2003)
Excruciating
I don't know what Gena Gershon's problem is, but oh my god it royally annoyed me during every second of this terrible movie.
I find that in general, up-and-coming rock group movies leave a bit to be desired: The tale of "The Commitments" (1991) rapid rise to glory may have been watchable, but was just not plausible. "Satisfaction" (1988) was neither, and was just superficial to the core. "That Thing You Do" (1996) tried so hard only to achieve saccharine, dorky, false-rock results. But I'm sorry, "Prey For Rock And Roll" absolutely takes last place. It just sucks.
Gena Gershon portrays a girl on the "ragged edge" of rock and roll, caterwauling for over an hour and a half in this movie. Her band plays the most painful, self-important, hook-less, uninteresting music heard in any of the above movies. Her performance is incredibly over-dramatic and overwrought in every way. And despite the volume of her voice, she is not a vocalist. If I saw this band live I would leave. It was so bad that I don't think I can ever look at this woman (in any movie) the same way again.
Perhaps, some say, it was her character's personal anguish that led her to such tortured artistry. But don't be fooled - it is only the viewer who is tortured. I say perhaps she should have taken to visual art or maybe pantomime instead. Anything to avoid witnessing a primadonna, non-rock trainwreck like this. Abysmal performances and music throughout make this a pure headache. Yuck.
The good news for rock group movie lovers is that "The Buddy Holly Story" (1978) is excellent, and "Cotton Candy" (also 1978) is so bad that it's good. Seek these out instead, at any price.